


The Fool

by thekatthatbarks



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Getting Together, Ino is the best wingman, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23246800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekatthatbarks/pseuds/thekatthatbarks
Summary: Ino kicked at a pebble on the ground, her arms folded across her chest. “How long?”Shikamaru sighed and pulled the cigarette away from his lips. “The war."It was a lie somewhat. He’d liked her since they were kids but had simply ignored the budding crush expecting it to fade over time. It hadn’t and by the time the war came around, he accepted he would always carry it despite his increasing efforts to drop it. He’d tried drowning it in the river, burning it in a fire, covering it up with something else. But it was all to no avail. It stuck with him, always apart of him.“Have you ever told anyone? Chouji? Her?”"No."
Relationships: Akimichi Chouji & Nara Shikamaru & Yamanaka Ino, Haruno Sakura/Nara Shikamaru, Nara Shikamaru & Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 31
Kudos: 542
Collections: The Best Naruto World Can Give





	1. Constellations

He watched as her hair brushed her shoulders when she turned to talk to whoever the hell he was – probably some foreign diplomat if by the looks of it. Then, he felt Ino’s hand on his shoulder and she leaned in close to him, whispering near his ear, “You’re staring.”

Shikamaru tore his eyes away immediately. He didn’t look at Chouji or Ino, staring at the wooden table of their booth for a second before moving out of his seat. “I’m going to go have a smoke.”

Neither of them commented on how he had never minded smoking inside the bar before.

He kept his eyes in front of him as he tugged his pack of cigarettes from his jacket. He didn’t look her way as he moved around people. Though, he still managed to pick up her laugh and it rang in his ears as he walked out the door.

He leaned against the wall of the building not too far from the door. Noise from the bar drifted out into the dead night whenever the door opened, but besides that it was incredibly quiet. It should’ve been calming but it wasn’t. He lit a cigarette and hoped the smoke would put a stop to his racing thoughts.

He’d only taken one drag before someone slipped out of the bar and leaned beside him. He’d half expected her to follow him, so he wasn’t surprised. He wondered what she’d told Chouji, if she was planning on going back inside. _He wasn’t._

They stood there quietly for a few minutes with just his smoke climbing into the air in front of them. Then, she leaned her shoulder against his. Her voice was quiet, and he knew it was so no one would be able to hear them over the sound of the bar. Ino was rarely quiet unless she needed to be.

“I’m surprised I never noticed.” She kicked at a pebble on the ground, her arms folded across her chest. “How long?”

Shikamaru sighed and pulled the cigarette away from his lips. “The war.”

It was a lie somewhat. He’d liked her since they were kids but had simply ignored the budding crush expecting it to fade over time. It hadn’t and by the time the war came around, he accepted he would always carry it despite his increasing efforts to drop it. He’d tried drowning it in the river, burning it in a fire, covering it up with something else. But it was all to no avail. It stuck with him, always apart of him.

He noticed how her head jerked to look at him in surprise, but he didn’t meet her eyes. “Really? What about…?”

Shikamaru leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes automatically searching for clouds in the sky out of habit only to find stars blanketing it. “She couldn’t – I couldn’t forget about it and it wasn’t fair to her.”

Ino nodded and sighed. “So, that’s why.” She’d bugged him about it for months, wanting to know why he’d given up his relationship with the sand shinobi. His silence had eventually worn her down and she’d let it go.

He hummed in reply and took another drag from the cigarette. It succeeded in relaxing him, but the thoughts persisted, and he shouldn’t have been foolish enough to hope.

“Have you ever told anyone? Chouji? Her?”

He could hear the hurt in her voice that she tried to conceal. He knew it was because he’d kept it a secret from her. Their team was close and always had been. There were very few things he didn’t share with his best friends and this happened to be one of them.

_Well, they knew now._

He hoped his answer eased her. “No.”

Ino leaned more against him, her head resting on his shoulder as she wrapped her arm around his. They were quiet for a moment and he made sure to keep the smoking cigarette away from her face. It was comfortable despite the agitation that was still wrapped around his spine. The nicotine hadn’t done anything for that either and for the hundredth time he thought about quitting.

Ino commented softly after a while, her eyes on the sky as well. “I think I can see Orion’s belt.”

Shikamaru found it easily and chuckled. “Didn’t you always suck at finding constellations?”

She hit him lightly in the chest and laughed. “I’ve been working on it.”

“Well, I bet you can’t find – “ Shikamaru’s voice cut off when Ino stiffened beside him and he looked down at her to see her eyes on the door.

“Really, Ren-san, I have an early shift at the hospital in the morning…”

She must’ve heard her voice a second before he did. Ino’s arm slipped away from him and she leaned away. He snorted and rolled his eyes. _Like she hadn’t seen them like that before._ It was bittersweet with how pointless it was, but he still appreciated it.

Sakura walked out the door a second later, the man from earlier a polite distance from her but still far too close. She had a smile on her face, but it looked strained. Shikamaru’s eyes tracked how she moved out of the way when the guy reached out for her waist – too graceful and well timed to be a coincidence. Shikamaru couldn’t stop his smirk and brought his cigarette to his lips.

“I think you should at least let me walk you home.”

Sakura hesitated and Shikamaru felt for her. No matter how far away you were from the office or what clothes you had on, the politics never left. Before he could call out to her to save her from answering – _and to piss the guy off; Shikamaru wasn’t perfect_ – Ino did. “Hey, Sakura!”

Sakura’s head turned in their direction, her shoulder relaxing a fraction when her eyes landed on them. Her smile was more sincere. “Oh, hey! I didn’t even see you in there. Are you headed out?”

Shikamaru debated his options and told her with a wave of his glowing cigarette, “About to, after I finish this.”

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him with a hand on her hip. “Shikamaru, I’ve _told_ you how bad those are for you.”

“You know, I was _just_ thinking about quitting.” He sent her a smile as he took another drag off it, his heart skipping a beat at how he could tell she bit her cheek to keep from smiling. 

Sakura rolled her eyes at him and took a step in their direction. She sent an all too fake smile at the guy with a small wave. “Well, maybe I’ll see you next time you’re in town. Goodnight, Ren-san!”

Before he could reply, she walked away sending a wink towards Ino and a smile at Shikamaru. Shikamaru’s eyes followed her as she walked down the street and turned a corner. He faintly heard the guy curse under his breath before going back into the bar. Shikamaru held back a smile as the door closed.

Him and Ino went back to their comfortable silence until she seemed to decide something and moved in front of him. She plucked the cigarette from his lips and held it between two manicured fingers. “What’re you going to do about it?”

Shikamaru sighed and shook his head, leaning back against the wall. “Nothing, Ino.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “I think you should.”

He grabbed the cigarette from her and took one more hit before tossing it to the ground.

“I’ll get over it.” He didn’t look at her as he walked away but felt her eyes on his back.

She didn’t chase after him or even call out to him annoyed.

Really, that should’ve been how he knew.


	2. Flower Stems

Shikamaru yawned as he walked into the Yamanaka shop. The bell on the door chiming as he opened it and called out, “Ino, it’s too early for this.”

“It’s not _that_ early.” There was a chuckle to his left and Shikamaru stilled.

Sakura was smiling at him as she picked flowers from a container. Shikamaru returned the smile and slipped his hands in his pockets, playing with his fingers nervously. “She dragged you into helping, too, huh?”

Sakura nodded and walked over to him. “Yeah, but it’ll go a lot quicker with three of us. Don’t you think?”

He hummed in reply and they walked to the small prep room in the back of the shop. The room was a mess; flower stems and shredded ribbon covering the floor. Ino sat in the middle of it in a worn out wicker chair, looking like a goddess trying to create a world from chaos.

He met Ino’s eyes when he walked through the door. She gave him an apologetic smile when he narrowed his eyes at her. He doubted she wouldn’t do it again though if given the chance.

They joined her at the table, Sakura handing Ino the flowers she’d grabbed from the front. “How many arrangements is the wedding needing?”

Ino rattled off a number, her eyes tracking the vases lined up against the back wall. It wasn’t too much, but they would be here more than a couple hours.

Shikamaru’s hands moved naturally over the flowers in front of them to prep them. He wasn’t as skilled as Ino and he never would be. But he’d helped her in the shop since they were kids and she didn’t need to give him a lot of instruction anymore.

Sakura, on the other hand, had not worked in the shop all her life. He bit back a smile as he watched her nervously cut a stem. He reached over and covered the hand she had on the scissors. “You’re cutting too high up.”

There was a faint blush on her cheeks and her eyes flickered to Ino. But Ino was looking down, her eyes meticulously on the bouquet in front of her. He knew she was listening all the same though.

Shikamaru put a finger on the stem. “Cut here first. Then after you’ve cut all the stems, cut them again at an angle to arrange them how you want in the vase.”

Sakura nodded with the same look of determination she had going into battle. Shikamaru fought down a chuckle, not wanting her to think he was making fun of her.

They worked quietly for a while until Ino started cutting pieces of ribbon. “So, Sakura, who was that guy the other night?”

Shikamaru glanced at her but she ignored him and kept her eyes on Sakura. He internally sighed.

“Hm?” Sakura answered distractedly as she lined up her flowers, then looked over at Ino. “Oh, Ren? He’s just one of the advisors the Daimyo sends down for reports.”

“He seemed pretty insistent on you taking him home.”

Sakura rolled her eyes and placed a flower in a vase, then pulled it back out deciding where to cut it. “He’s always like that. He’s had a thing for me since Tsunade-shishou was Hokage.”

Shikamaru feigned disinterest in the conversation, grabbing pieces of ribbon from in front of Ino to tie around a vase. He felt Ino’s eyes on him and then she asked Sakura in a sly voice, “You ever take him up on the offer?”

Sakura’s head whipped towards her, glancing at Shikamaru. _Probably wondering why they were having their ‘girl talk’ in front of him._ “No.”

“Why not?” Ino pushed and Shikamaru wondered what she was playing at. He knew she wouldn’t do this to get at him, but he couldn’t see where she was trying to take the conversation.

Sakura huffed and the loud _snip_ of her cutting a stem filled the room. Her voice was a mix of confusion and bewilderment. “Because I don’t _want_ to? Because I don’t _like_ him?”

Ino nodded and then asked, “Oh, are you interested in someone else then?”

_Ah, there was the point._

Shikamaru would’ve chuckled at her if it wouldn’t have been so out of place in their conversation.

In the seconds Sakura hesitated, a vice tightened around his chest. _Did he really want to hear the answer to this?_ It was too late to escape the room though, a forced audience in Ino’s uncomfortable chair.

Sakura leaned towards Ino, her arm brushing against Shikamaru’s. He felt his heart rate spike. “Why are you trying to get me to sleep with the Daimyo’s advisor?”

“I’m not!” Ino laughed and shrugged. “I’m just trying to make conversation.”

Even Sakura could tell there was a hidden agenda behind her words, but she wouldn’t be able to guess it. She narrowed her eyes at her and then went back to her flowers. Shikamaru didn’t know how to feel about her answer.

“No.”


	3. Scars

Shikamaru sighed as they walked down the street having just returned their mission report in. “Ino, just heal it.”

“No, I _told_ you that you need to go see Sakura.” She shook her head with her arms crossed over her chest.

Shikamaru glared at her, bringing his thumb up to trace the bandage across his cheek.

She waved a hand defensively. “This isn’t even about _that_. I’m not as skilled a healer as Sakura is. If she heals it, there won’t be a scar.”

“I don’t _care_ about a _scar_ , Ino.” 

But Ino shook her head again and shrugged. _The stubborn woman._ “I’m not healing it, Shikamaru.”

Shikamaru sighed and glanced at Chouji. The man smiled and offered him a shrug. “Just go see Sakura, Shikamaru. You know how Ino is about us having scars on our faces.”

_He was no help._ Shikamaru rolled his eyes. “Yeah, _vain_.”

Ino hit him in the shoulder, her voice rising. “I am not _vain_! You know, just because we’re shinobi doesn’t mean we have to showcase all our battle scars for the world to see! We’re _more_ than that.”

Knowing he’d hit a nerve; he softened his voice. He’d heard her lament about it for years and should’ve known better than to poke at her. “I know.”

Ino’s tense shoulders relaxed and she repeated, “Go see Sakura.”

“ _Fine_.” Shikamaru turned on his heel and walked away from them, not wanting to hear her nag him anymore.

He was a few paces away from them when Chouji said, “You know he’s not going to, right?”

But he didn’t hear Ino’s reply as he turned around a corner.

He felt her shadow before he heard her feet walk across the grass towards him.

He didn’t look up at her when she finally stopped in front of him, keeping his eyes closed. The sky was clear today and he was losing hope on some clouds passing by. He imagined her disapproving eyes and the way she fisted her hands in the pockets of her white coat. Her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail.

“Ino asked me to come check on you.”

Shikamaru sighed. One of these days, he was going to kill that troublesome woman.

He opened his eyes to see the image he’d had played out before him. Sakura cocked an irritated eyebrow at him, still dressed in her white coat from the hospital.

“It’s just a cut, Sakura.”

Sakura dropped to her knees beside him and didn’t waste a second before reaching out to hold his face. Shikamaru felt his heart rate spike up as she examined the bandage. “You could’ve just come to see me, anyway.”

She pulled back the bandage and Shikamaru winced. Her face softened and she reached into her pocket for something. Shikamaru let her clean the cut, discarding the trash in her other pocket. She seemed to have a system about it.

His eyes went to her face with nowhere else to go her being so close. Strands of her hair fell around her face at random, still too short for her to pull it back completely. The faintest freckles scattered across her skin high on her cheek bone. He could see a scar of her own, not even an inch long and barely visible near the corner of her right eye.

Green eyes met his and he tried to act like he hadn’t been staring at her. “I didn’t want to bother you with something so small.”

Sakura rolled her eyes at him, a soft laugh falling from her lips. Her thumb started slowly tracing along his cut, her chakra stitching the skin back together like it was an art – _maybe to Sakura, it was_. “You can always come see me, Shikamaru. You know that.”

A second later and her thumb was stroking across his healed skin. His breath caught in his throat when her eyes went back to him. He didn’t know what kind of expression he had, but it made her blush and clear her throat. She pulled away from him, gracefully rolling back to her feet and standing up. “Well, I have to get back.”

“Thank you, Sakura. You didn’t have to come all the way out here.”

Sakura shook her head with a smile that made his insides warm. She took a step back. “Next time, just come see me and I won’t have to.”

He chuckled and watched her walk down the hill. His chest felt tight as the pink disappeared from his line of sight.


	4. Hospital Blankets

Shikamaru moved past the people running around the hospital hallway, trying to stay out of the way as he walked. He’d turned a corner when someone almost clipped his shoulder. His eyes latched on to the pink as she didn’t even notice him. His feet paused and he turned to watch her walk hurriedly with her head down. His suspicion was confirmed when she slipped into the stairwell to the roof.

He sighed, feeling his heart clench painfully, and changed direction to follow her.

Sakura was leaning against the edge of the roof, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked over the village. She didn’t turn around as the door shut, too distracted by her own thoughts. He walked quietly, the blankets on the clothes lines flapping around him as he made his way to her.

He didn’t say anything as he leaned next to her, facing the other way. He saw her smile out of the corner of his eye, tear stains on her rosy cheeks. A moment passed and she asked him, “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” He turned his head towards her.

She glanced at him. “Always find me when I need someone?”

Shikamaru chuckled, shrugging one of his shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just lucky.”

She shook her head and turned her eyes back to the horizon. She leaned her arm against his and they entered a comfortable silence.

He and Sakura hadn’t been friends growing up even though they’d always been on good terms. It had changed after Naruto left for his training, Sakura alone without her team. He hadn’t been searching for her, but he’d found her time and time again. She’d just needed a friend and he hadn’t been the only one to see it. Ino had dragged her out with them occasionally and they’d become friends. They were somewhat close but not as much as they were with their own teammates.

She didn’t explain any further than, “I had a bad surgery.”

Shikamaru understood what she was saying underneath and didn’t ask for any details. _Not like it mattered._

He nodded and Sakura let out a breath. She shed a few more tears before she eventually calmed down. She turned to him; her hand warm through his sleeve where she grabbed his arm. “You want to grab something to eat?”

He smiled, missing the warmth of her when she stepped away and dropped her hand. “Sure.”


	5. Meditation

Ino didn’t even bother to say anything until they were a dozen meters from the training ground. _She was a smart woman._ “Oh, I invited Sakura to train with us today. Most of her team is out on their own missions. Thought it’d be a nice to change of pace.”

Shikamaru glared at her, seeing straight through the well-crafted ruse. Chouji laughed beside him with a comforting hand on his shoulder as he shook it. “Just go with it.”

_Like he had any choice._

Shikamaru sighed and bit back an angry retort. He tried to remind himself Ino was meddling because she cared.

Sakura was waiting for them, leaning against a tree looking thoughtful as she stared down at the grass. She was out of what she usually wore, dressed in a small red top that clung to her skin. Shikamaru cursed Ino as his eyes trailed across her bare skin.

She pushed off the bark when they came into her field of view. She smiled. “Hey! Thanks for letting me join you guys.”

“No problem.” Ino shrugged and walked over to her. “Pick a spot and go meditate. Then, we can stretch and spar for a while.”

Shikamaru rolled his eyes as Ino didn’t wait for a reply and started walking towards the corner of the field. Chouji sent Sakura a smile before doing the same. Sakura looked at him in question, obviously out of her element. “Meditate?”

“Yeah, it’s something we do before training or going out on a mission. It helps keep your mind clear.” He offered her a smile when she looked over the field hesitantly. “It’s really not that hard.”

She shrugged with a small smile. “Naruto likes to do it too. I suppose it can’t hurt to try.”

Shikamaru jerked his head and Sakura followed him to an edge of the field Chouji and Ino weren’t on. “I’ll help you if you need it.”

Sakura snorted when he laid on his back and he smiled up at her. “What?”

She sat beside him and crossed her legs. “You meditate laying down?”

“Sometimes. You can do it however you feel the most comfortable. The position doesn’t really matter.” Shikamaru closed his eyes and his hands formed a circle before resting on his stomach.

They were quiet for a while, Shikamaru trying to focus on the ground beneath him; the soil and grass that still had morning dew on it. He’d almost cleared his mind when he felt the air tense beside him. He opened an eye to look at Sakura. Her eyes were screwed shut, a concentrated frown on her face.

He chuckled and her eyes opened at the sound. She looked at him annoyed and he sat up. “Sakura, you’re too tense.”

She sighed and grumbled, glaring at her sandals, “I can’t clear my mind.”

“It doesn’t have to clear completely.” Shikamaru told her softly. “Try and focus on one thing, ignore everything else. Then, let it all fall away.”

Sakura nodded and closed her eyes again. When her breathing slowed, Shikamaru crossed his legs and went back to his own meditation. He tried to clear his own mind but was far too distracted by the women next to him.

Ino came by some time later and he couldn’t help but be irritated at the knowing smile in her voice. “Ready to start?”

They stretched and Ino seemed to want to keep the control she had over the training. She smiled at Sakura and nodded towards Shikamaru. “You and Shikamaru. Me and Chouji. Sounds good?”

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at her from behind Sakura, but Ino only gave him a cheeky grin in return. She knew _exactly_ what she was doing.

_Driving him to an early grave._

Sakura nodded and looked over her shoulder at him. His heart stuttered at her excited smile. “Don’t worry, Shikamaru. I’ll go easy on you.”

He chuckled and cocked an eyebrow at her. “Oh, you will?”

“Mmhm.” She turned towards him and put a hand on his chest, gently pushing him back. “No chakra? Taijutsu?”

Shikamaru wouldn’t deny that she’d pummel him into the ground if they did taijutsu with chakra. He shrugged with a smile. “Whatever you want, Sakura.”

He looked over at Ino. “We take one half of the field and you the other?”

She nodded and sent him a wink out of Sakura’s line of sight. Shikamaru fought to not roll his eyes at her and led Sakura to the edge of the field.

Shikamaru wasn’t much for hand to hand combat. He was as proficient as any other average shinobi, but it wasn’t where his skills laid. He preferred strategy and calculations, the shadow at his feet to do his dirty work. But he’d never slacked off with it either and it was the only reason he _barely_ kept up with Sakura.

He didn’t feel too embarrassed about how badly she was kicking his ass. This was what _she_ was good at. He knew she was also one to plan out an attack, but her body was her weapon. He could almost feel the thrill that ran through her when she landed a hit or kick on him. He could tell she enjoyed it even without having to see the way the corners of her mouth turned up.

Her hair slipped from her ponytail as the fought wore on, the pink flying with her as she moved. It was important to watch an opponent’s eyes just as much as the rest of them. But Shikamaru found himself all too distracted in that green. She’d only needed the half second in his hesitation before sweeping his legs.

His back hit the ground and he felt hands grab his and pin them above them. Sakura’s legs were around him, her feet digging into his thighs to further hold him. He felt some comfort in how she breathed as hard as he did. He met her eyes as she looked down at him, her hair falling around her face with a wide smile. The sun made a halo of light around her and her skin was flushed pink. Shikamaru’s usual racing mind stopped at how beautiful she was.

She pointlessly tried to blow her hair out of her face. She was still breathless as she smirked above him. “I think I’ve bested you, Nara.”

He let out a breath, his heart like a jackhammer. “I think you did.”

Sakura’s expression softened and Shikamaru thought of a thousand stupid things to tell her. He went with one of the safer ones when she didn’t instantly get off him. “You going to let me up or are we just going to lay like this?” With the rush of the fight still running through his veins, he felt a little bold and added with a smirk. “I mean I don’t mind.”

He didn’t think Sakura’s blush had anything to do with her flush from the fight and she moved off him. There was a spark of annoyance in her eye from him teasing her, but she still held out a hand for him. He wrapped his hand around hers and she easily pulled him to his feet. She sent him a smile as she dropped his hand and then turned towards the rest of his team.

They were wrapping up their own fight and no sooner had Chouji pinned Ino down then Sakura was calling out as she walked towards them. “Come on, Ino-Pig!”

Ino groaned but got up all the same. She was panting with an eager smile on her face as she looked at Sakura. She beckoned her closer. “Alright, Forehead. Give me like thirty seconds first.”


	6. Carry Me Home

“With Chouji out on a solo mission, who do you want for your third?” Kakashi glanced from the scroll to him and Ino.

Before he could even think of a suggestion, Ino answered, “Sakura, if she’s available. She trains with us sometimes and I think she’d cover Chouji’s position pretty well.”

Shikamaru’s expression slipped when he glared at the side of Ino’s face. He realized his mistake when Kakashi caught it. “Something wrong, Shikamaru?”

Shikamaru’s eyes went to him to see a raised eyebrow. “No, Kakashi-sama.”

Kakashi’s eyes didn’t leave him and he ventured, “Is there a reason you don’t want Sakura on your team for this mission?”

“No, Kakashi-sama.” Shikamaru bit back a sigh and Ino shifted her feet beside him.

“Did you have someone else in mind?” Kakashi looked down at his copy of the mission scroll. “I think Sakura would suit this mission well.”

“No, I don’t. Ino’s right, Sakura works well with us, so if she’s available…” Shikamaru trailed off. _Maybe she has her own mission._

“She is.” Kakashi didn’t look convinced by Shikamaru’s agreeability but chose to not comment and sent them on their way.

“Aren’t you pushing this a little too hard?” Shikamaru bit at her as they walked through the street.

Ino at least looked apologetic. “Maybe. But she really _is_ a good replacement for Chouji.”

He sighed and dragged a hand down his face. “You’re going to drive me to an early grave. I swear.”

Ino reached out to tuck her hand into his elbow and leaned into him as they walked. “Don’t worry so much about it.”

“Easy for you to say.” Shikamaru’s fingers itched for a cigarette, but he’d forgotten his pack at home.

She rolled her eyes at him and teased him to lighten the mood, “Such a drama queen.”

It only partially worked, and he tried for a smile as he glanced at her. “Pretty sure that’s you.”

She bit back a smile and shook her head. “Nope, lately it’s been you.”

Shikamaru shook his head at her and Ino pulled on his arm. “Well, come on, I’ll buy you lunch to make up for it.”

He let her lead him towards the food district and asked, “And?”

“ _And_ I won’t be troublesome on the mission.”

Shikamaru felt some relief at that and pushed a little further. “ _And_?”

Ino pinched the inside of his arm and huffed. “Fine, I’ll buy you mackerel too.”

***

Ino went on patrol and Shikamaru made himself comfortable against the base of a tree. Sakura was near him, trying to get a fire going. He watched her quietly, worry eating at him. She’d been unusually quiet since they left the village and he couldn’t figure out why.

He was working up the nerve to ask her when she smiled as the fire came to life. Her skin soaked up the light from the fire and Shikamaru couldn’t help it when his heart pounded a little harder in his chest at the sight of her.

She surprised him by coming to sit beside him. Her smile was almost nervous when she looked at him and asked bluntly, “Shikamaru, are you mad at me or something?”

“What? No?” Shikamaru laughed, looking at her confused. _Had he said something?_

“You’re not upset or anything?” She double checked; her eyes serious as they met his.

“No, Sakura.” He smiled at her in what he hoped was reassuring. “Why did you think I was? Did I say something or – “

Sakura looked away from him and down at a twig that had fallen from the fire. “Kakashi asked me if we’d had a fight. He said you seemed reluctant to take me on this mission.”

Shikamaru sighed. He should really be more careful about his emotions in front of the Hokage.

Sakura deflated in the seconds before he replied. She chuckled but he didn’t hear any humor in it. “You’re not denying it.”

“I was annoyed at Ino about something else. He just misunderstood.”

Sakura turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“You can ask her yourself.” Ino had always been a better liar than him. He already felt bad about the white lie he just said, he didn’t want to fabricate a whole story.

He was relieved when Sakura didn’t ask for details. Her lips were pursed as she searched his eyes, deciding whether she was going to believe him or not. Eventually, she smiled with a small nod. “Okay.”

Shikamaru put a hand on her knee and leaned towards her. His voice was softer than he’d intended. “Sakura, I’m really not upset with you or anything.”

Sakura covered his hand with hers, her fingers curling under his. She avoided his gaze, setting her sight on the dancing fire. “I believe you, Shikamaru.”

Shikamaru curled his fingers around hers with his heart in his throat. They stayed like that for a while until he convinced her to go to sleep and he’d take first watch. Her sleeping bag wasn’t far from him and his eyes kept drifting over to the pink hair that fanned out across the green material of her bag.

The night swallowed his sigh as he looked at her, thinking about how much more fucked up he could get over Haruno Sakura.

***

“Don’t be stupid.”

“Ino, _shut up_.”

Ino’s glare turned to him and he wasn’t surprised she still managed to add some heat to it even bleeding out from her side. It was just like Ino to be stubborn even as she strangled death between painted nails.

“Sakura is _already_ low on chakra. Just stitch it up or – “

“I’ll live and you _won’t_ if you don’t let me do my _job_ , Pig.” Sakura’s voice was hard as she pressed her hands against the long gash on Ino’s stomach, but her eyes held nothing but worry. Sweat matted her hair to her forehead and her breathing was a little heavy as she poured chakra into the wound.

Ino whimpered and her hand gripped tightly at Shikamaru’s sleeve. His chest felt tight as more tears ran down her face and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Sakura will be fine, Ino.”

Ino was still upset but smart enough to know when she’d lost an argument. Her chest shook as she tried to talk through gritted teeth. “Well, I’m carrying her home when she passes out.”

Shikamaru chuckled and focused on Ino’s grip on his arm, reminding himself he hadn’t lost her. It was easier to pretend, at least for the moment, that it hadn’t even been a possibility. “Yeah, I don’t know about that.”

Sakura had a small smile on her face and told her quietly, “I think Shikamaru needs to be the one to carry me home.”

Shikamaru tried to not think about how she didn’t deny she might pass out.

Ino laughed and weakly patted Sakura’s arm. “Yeah, I would rather a hot guy carry me on his back, too.”

Shikamaru snorted and rolled his eyes at her. _Bleeding out on to the cold grass and she was still trying to be his wingman._

Sakura chuckled as her hands moved farther up. “You caught me, Ino.”

Shikamaru watched as the wound slowly closed on Ino’s side and her breathing started to even out again. She was exhausted by the end of it and Sakura didn’t look any better as her hands dimmed.

Her eyelids looked heavy and Shikamaru reached out a hand to steady her by her shoulder as Ino moved to sit up. “Hey, I need you to stay with me for a minute.”

Sakura nodded and let out a breath. When he was sure she wouldn’t collapse on him, he looked back to Ino. “Can you walk?”

She nodded, her hand on her side where the cut had been, the skin still covered in blood but with no torn flesh. “Yeah, but it’s really sore. I won’t be able to run at least until I get some rest. A lot of blood loss too, I probably shouldn’t run tomorrow either. It’ll be a long way home.”

Shikamaru helped her stand up and then held out a hand for Sakura. He didn’t like the way she needed to focus on his hand before putting her fingers in it. Shikamaru pulled her up slowly and she clutched at his vest, breathing deeply. He kept his hand in hers as she leaned her forehead against his chest. “Sakura?”

“Just a little dizzy.” She laughed lightly and peered up at him with tired eyes. “That offer to carry me wasn’t a joke, right?”

Shikamaru’s eyes softened and he tugged her hand behind him. “Of course not.” He bent down and felt the weight of Sakura on his back a second later. She locked her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Shikamaru adjusted her as he straightened back up. 

Not wanting to risk anything when she inevitably passed out on him, he hooks his arms under her legs. He glanced at Ino who’s eyes were on Sakura worriedly. She tucked Sakura’s hair behind her ear and commented softly, “She’s already out.”

Shikamaru hiked her up on his back more and started walking. He eyed Ino as she fell into step beside him. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright? Maybe we should –”

Ino cut him off as she glanced around with narrowed eyes. “Don’t even suggest it, Shikamaru. I’ll be fine. It’d be stupid to rest here when we don’t know if they had reinforcements.”

“I know.” He sighed. It didn’t mean he liked it.

He noticed Ino’s eyes kept going back to Sakura, a frown deepening on her face.

“Ino, don’t feel bad,” Shikamaru told her softly. “Sakura will be fine once she gets some rest.”

She didn’t reply and he asked her, “Would you want me to feel bad if the roles were reversed?”

“No,” she answered instantly and then sighed. He knew he couldn’t talk her out of her guilt. That wasn’t how it worked. But maybe he could plant some reasoning in her head before she let it swallow her.

***

Sakura woke up hours later from where they had laid her out on her sleeping bag. She grabbed her head as she sat up and looked around her. Her eyes found Ino first and she moved over to her. Ino comically moved out of her reach and almost tripped over Shikamaru’s legs that were spread out towards the fire. He sighed but had an amused smile as they argued.

“Sakura, I’m _fine_. Don’t waste any more chakra on me. You’re not even fully recovered.”

“Dammit, Ino, just let me _look_ at you – “

“No! Go lay back down or – “

“Pig, I swear – “

“What? What’re you going to do?” Ino cocked an eyebrow at her, folding her arms over her chest.

The fire separated them, and Sakura glared at her through the heat waves in the air. “Fine.”

Shikamaru eyed her as she bit her finger but wasn’t quick enough to stop her once he realized what she was doing. _She really didn’t have the chakra to spare for that._

Katsuyu appeared in a puff a smoke seconds later. She was in the palm of her hand and Shikamaru wondered how she knew to send a clone in a smaller size. Her soft voice lifted through the air. “Sakura-chan, what can I do for you?”

Sakura smiled at her. “Katsuyu-sama, would you mind watching over Ino while I recover? I healed a deep cut earlier and I’m worried about internal damage.”

“Of course.” The slug nodded and Ino huffed clearly annoyed Sakura had found a loophole.

Sakura didn’t hide her smirk when she looked over at Ino expectantly. “Well?”

Ino narrowed her eyes at her and went to sit beside Shikamaru. Sakura lowered her hand and Katsuyu leapt off to land on Ino’s stomach. Ino couldn’t stop her flinch from the odd feeling and looked at Katsuyu apologetically not wanting to offend her. “Thank you, Katsuyu.”

“Just check over her once in a while. If she needs healing, draw from my chakra.”

After Katsuyu nodded, Shikamaru spoke up with his eyes on Sakura. His voice was gentle but commanding. “Sakura, go lay back down.”

Sakura met his eyes and bit the inside of her cheek. She looked like she wanted to argue but ultimately decided not to and turned back to her sleeping bag.

***

She fought him on it, but Sakura let him carry her the rest of the way to the village. It made him think of how he used to say he wanted a quiet life and to settle down with a quiet woman. The idea was laughable to him now as Sakura grumbled near his ear, her arms a little too tight around his neck.

“You’re putting me down when we get near the gates.”

“We’ll see.”

Sakura turned her head to press her face against his neck with an irritated sigh. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.” Shikamaru chuckled and teased her, “We could always switch to bridal style?”

It earned him a kick in his side, and he couldn’t stop his smile. Ino looked at them amused as she walked next to him. He was relieved to see some color had returned to her skin. After washing in the river and a new change of clothes, she looked a lot better and he stopped worrying about needing to extend the trip another night because it wasn’t like he could carry them both.

“Do you want me to carry you?” Ino offered, glancing at Sakura.

Sakura turned her head away from her and Shikamaru felt her grip on him tighten as she replied, “No. You’re still recovering. I can put up with Shikamaru’s teasing.”

“ _Okay_.” Ino looked like she was fighting back a laugh and she shook her head.

Sakura leaned her head against his and Shikamaru felt a flood of warmth and affection rush through him. He entertained the idea that maybe Sakura just liked him carrying her.


	7. A Glass of Lemonade

Ino made an annoyed sound when he took another one of her pieces. She looked like she was seconds from throwing the board out on to the grass. She contained herself by biting the inside of her cheek and digging her nails into her arms.

Shikamaru looked at her amused. “You’ve never had the patience for this. Why do you keep insisting we play it?”

Ino rolled her eyes at him and gave him a look like she thought he was stupid. “Because I like spending time with you, _dumbass_.”

Shikamaru chuckled. He didn’t doubt it was true but knew it wasn’t how it had started. Ino had stubbornly inserted herself as his shoji partner after Asuma died and even more so after his father died. She hadn’t ever understood it completely, but she knew the game meant something to him. So, she’d tried to be there for him, and he probably appreciated it more than she’d ever know.

“Yeah, me too, Ino.” Shikamaru watched her make a move across the board. She’d been horrible at it at first but had gotten much better over the years. “You always say the nicest things.”

Ino laughed lightly and their attention went back to the game. He beat her but not too badly. Ino sighed and stood up, then slipped into the house. “I’m going to make some lemonade.”

She came back moments later and handed him a glass before sitting beside him with her legs dangling off the porch. They sat in a content silence, just watching the sun set over the Nara Forest.

Ino commented after a while, her voice soft, “I’ll be glad when Chouji comes home from his mission. It feels weird with him being gone for so long.”

“Yeah,” Shikamaru easily agreed, having missed the man’s deep laughter as soon as he’d left.

Ino leaned back on her hands, her empty glass creating a ring of condensation on the wooden floor. She glanced at him and asked, “So have you made your mind up about Sakura? Are you going to do anything about it?”

Shikamaru sighed and brought a knee up to rest his elbow on it, leaning his head in his hand. “I don’t know, Ino.”

“I think she likes you,” Ino told him with a smile and bumped his arm with hers.

When he didn’t respond, the smile left her voice and she looked at him. “You think so too, don’t you?”

“Maybe,” he relented quietly, not meeting Ino’s eyes and watching a couple of deer at the edge of the tree line.

Ino sat up to hold out her hands and asked him incredulously, “Then, what’re you waiting for?” 

Shikamaru let out a breath, the drink still in his hand cold against his fingers. “I don’t know, Ino. Maybe it’s not a good idea.”

Ino groaned and argued, “It’s a _great_ idea. I never counted you for a coward, Shikamaru.”

“I’m not being one.” He rolled his eyes at her, a small smile on his face.

Ino gave him a couple minutes to elaborate and then grew impatient when he didn’t. She grabbed at his sleeve. “Then, what is it?”

“There’s a lot of things to consider.”

She groaned and shook his arm. “No, don’t do _that_. Not with this. You need to just let your heart lead you wherever it wants to go.”

Shikamaru chuckled and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He tried to ease some of the tension in his chest with a joke. “Never took you for a romantic, Ino.”

Ino smiled but didn’t let up, her eyes serious. “Shikamaru.”

“I’ll think about it – or not think about it.” He waved a hand and sighed. “Whatever the hell you said.”

Ino snorted and leaned against him. She told him softly, “Whatever it is that’s making you hesitate, just let it go, Shika. No matter what happens, you know we’ll be there for you.”

Shikamaru smiled and covered the hand she had on his arm with his. “I know.”


	8. Oats

Shikamaru had been checking on the deer when he heard the twig snap behind him and turned to see Sakura standing there. He looked at her confused, a deer still eating out of the palm of his hand. He felt his greeting come out as a question in his surprise. “Hey?”

Sakura smiled at him and walked over slowly, her eyes on the deer. Her voice was quiet. “Your mom let me in. She didn’t seem to mind when I said I was looking for you.”

One of the bucks stepped towards her curiously and Sakura moved away from him. She glanced at him nervously. “I guess they don’t see too many people outside of the Nara clan, huh?”

“Not really.” Shikamaru smiled, his heart beating uncomfortably in his chest. He reached out for her and pulled her close. “They’ll walk all over you if they know you’re scared of them.”

“I’m not.” Sakura wrapped an arm around his, a blush across her nose. Her shoulders relaxed the longer she looked at the deer, who were now keeping a safe distance from them. “Are they scared of me?”

“Just cautious but they’ll calm down once they realize I trust you.” Shikamaru reached into the pack he had with him and held a closed first in front of her. “Here, hold out your hand.”

Sakura did so and he dropped some oats into her palm. She looked at him unsure and he encouraged with a chuckle, “Go ahead, Sakura.”

She held out her hand towards the buck from earlier and he walked over to her. He stuck out his nose towards her hand and sniffed before closing the distance to eat out of her palm. Sakura laughed softly; her eyes warm as she looked at him. “He’s beautiful.”

Shikamaru smiled and it was hard to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her. “This is Kaito.”

Sakura glanced up at him. “Do you name all the deer?”

He snorted and shook his head. “No, I’d never be able to keep up. But some I do. I helped deliver Kaito and he got a little attached to me.”

Sakura nodded and when her palm was empty, the deer nudged her with his nose. She chuckled and started petting him.

She was quieter than usual, something off about her. Her muscles were tense in her back and her eyes kept darting to the side distracted by her thoughts. Shikamaru asked her, his voice low, “You were looking for me?”

Sakura sighed, still looking at the deer in front of her. “You remember how I said you always seem to be there when I need someone?”

Worry started to bite at him, and he answered, “Yeah.”

Sakura looked over at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She smiled with a shrug as her voice broke. “Well, when you weren’t there… I thought I’d come find you.”

Shikamaru felt something sharp imbed itself between his ribs and grabbed her waist to tug her closer. “Oh, Sakura, come here.”

Sakura wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest as he held her close. Her tears soaked his shirt as she cried and Shikamaru kept his arms around her, combing his fingers through her hair. Her fingers in the back of his shirt would tangle and untangle; she would calm down just to start up again.

He could see dozens of different things to say or do but decided to just hold her. The way she clung to him made his breath shallow and he didn’t think he’d ever felt so needed before.

Eventually, her tears slowed, and her breathing leveled back out. She picked her head up and looked at him with flushed cheeks and red eyes. Shikamaru offered her a warm smile and she ducked her head back down, her hair tickling his chin. She cleared her throat and told him, “On my mission, I lost a teammate.”

“I’m sorry, Sakura.” Shikamaru sighed and leaned his head against hers.

Sakura was quiet and Shikamaru’s thoughts started to race. “You don’t think – “

She pulled away from him with a rough voice. “I should’ve been able to save her.”

“Sakura, no – “ He stepped towards her and she waved her hands angrily in front of her.

“I am arguably one of the _best_ medics in the world, Shikamaru, and I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t – and I – I studied under Tsunade for years and the woman says I’ve surpassed her. _Surpassed_ the damn _Godaime_ , Shikamaru. I can do so many different things and have practically dragged people’s _souls_ back to their bodies. But I _couldn’t save her_. And – “

Her eyes were glossing over again as her breathing began to stutter and Shikamaru grabbed her face in his hands before she could talk herself into a panic attack. “Sakura, listen to me.”

She bit her lip as she met his eyes, one of her hands coming up to hold his wrist. “You are an amazing woman and while those things may be true, you’re not a god.”

Sakura closed her eyes and Shikamaru’s heart squeezed as the tears fell from her eyes. “So, don’t hold yourself to that kind of standard. It wasn’t your fault and I know you did what you could for her. Sometimes things are out of our control. Her death is not yours to carry on your shoulders.”

She nodded and fell back into his arms. She was warm against him and Shikamaru would’ve thought he held her for hours if he didn’t have the sun above them to tell him he didn’t.


	9. Heartline

Sakura’s hair was a mess, locks of it slipping from her sloppy ponytail. She had faint purple circles under her eyes from overworking and her bad habit of biting her bottom lip had cut it in the corner. There was a rip in her white coat that she hadn’t gotten around to fixing or replacing entirely. She looked like a mess, but he thought it made her even more beautiful.

_Then, he thought he was turning into such a sap._

Shikamaru cleared his throat as he leaned against the doorway to her office. She hadn’t looked up when he stopped by, not having even noticed someone standing there staring at her because she was so absorbed in the medical reports in front of her.

Sakura looked up at him distractedly, obviously thinking he was hospital staff as there was already a sentence on the tip of her tongue when she opened her mouth. She paused when her eyes met his and gave him a bashful smile, self consciously tucking her hair behind her ear. “Hey, Shikamaru, what brings you by?”

Her eyes automatically glanced over him and he snorted, stepping more into her office. “I’m not injured, Sakura.”

She blushed and shrugged, looking down at the paper on her desk. “I can’t help it.”

He chuckled and felt his heart rate pick up, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep himself from fidgeting nervously. “I think Kaito misses you.”

Sakura laughed and looked back up at him, leaning her head on her hand. She raised an eyebrow at him with a playful smile. “Oh, _Kaito_ misses me, does he?”

Shikamaru smiled back at her, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. “Yeah. You should probably come visit again.”

Something in her eyes made his stomach twist and she hummed. “I think I can do that.” She shrugged a shoulder. “For Kaito.”

“Of course.” Shikamaru nodded, biting his cheek to keep from smiling too wide. “When do you get off?”

“Six.” She glanced at the papers scattered across her desk and then turned back to him, her smile soft. “I’ll come by around seven.”

***

Shikamaru heard the gentle knock on the door but his mother had already been walking by. He heard her feet pause and change direction, so he didn’t move from his place on the couch. Their voices carried from the hall and into the living room.

“Sakura-chan! How are you?”

“I’m good, Yoshino-san. How have you been?”

“Well.” He could hear the smile in her voice and felt his own mouth turn up. “I’m guessing you’re here to see Shikamaru?”

Sakura must’ve nodded or their voices had at least quieted because he heard the weight of her feet pad across the wooden floor. A second later, he felt her shadow merge with the couch’s as she leaned over the back of it. He kept his eyes closed and she poked his cheek.

“You know when you invite a woman over, you _probably_ shouldn’t take a nap.”

Shikamaru opened his eyes to look up at her, that teasing smile on her face as she looked down at him with a cocked eyebrow. He shrugged with a grin. “I was only resting my eyes, Sakura-chan.”

She rolled her eyes. “ _Sure_ , Shika-kun.”

“I’d always known the Nara Forest was big, but I had no idea it was _this_ big.”

Shikamaru smiled as Sakura looked around her with awe-filled eyes and a wide smile. It was a comforting difference from how she’d looked when she’d cried in his arms just a few days before.

After visiting the deer – _she’d come to see Kaito after all_ – Shikamaru had led her to the small river that ran through the forest. Sakura’s eyes wandered over the clear water; the color of the fish vibrant as they swam with the gentle stream. She’d slipped off her shoes, which were now dangling from Shikamaru’s right hand as Sakura walked at the edge of the water, kicking it up every now and then with her feet.

He chuckled, his eyes distractedly tracing the movement of her fingers tucking her hair behind her ear. “Probably not as big as you think.”

She rolled her eyes, glancing at him with a smile. “It’s beautiful.”

“Won’t argue that.” He often slipped into the forest when he craved some sense of serenity that he couldn’t find on a hill. It had been a welcoming place all his life, a warm extension of his home. Sakura appreciating it made his chest feel light.

They’d reached a deeper part of the river where rocks washed up along the bed, a natural barrier of random sizes. Sakura climbed up onto the rocks, grabbing Shikamaru’s hand in hers as she did so, and started to walk across them. She sent him a shrug with pink dusting her cheeks. “So, I don’t fall.”

Shikamaru snorted but squeezed her hand and intertwined their fingers. _Like Haruno Sakura could ever lose her balance._

“I won’t let you fall.”

Sakura bit her lip but couldn’t stop her smile as she glanced at him. “I’ve no doubt.”

They walked like that for a while and when Sakura leapt off the last rock, she didn’t let go of his hand. Shikamaru decided to not comment on it.

She told him some time later, “I think I want to try meditating again. I made the mistake of mentioning it to Naruto and he went on a whole spiel about it. I almost thought he was Lee in disguise.”

Shikamaru laughed and handed her shoes to her. She slipped them on without separating their fingers and looked at him in question.

He tugged her back to the tree line. “I know a nice place to practice.”

Shikamaru led her to a small field in the middle of the forest and pulled her down to sit in front of him. Sakura crossed her legs and laid her palms on her knees with an eager smile. “What now, Shikamaru-sensei?”

He chuckled and gestured for her to close her eyes. After she did, he said, “Like I told you that first day, the trick is to focus on one thing until you can ignore everything else. It’s about focusing your mind, so you have to start somewhere.”

Sakura nodded. “What should I focus on then?”

Shikamaru reached out a hand to her and then his fingers hovered above hers as he hesitated. He glanced back to her face, a small smile on her lips and an arched eyebrow at his silence. The light breeze was picking up her hair and his eyes followed how it brushed across her skin. His eyes found that small scar near the corner of her eye, the faintest white line that disappeared when she smiled, and lines scrunched up around her eyes.

With their knees grazing each other and the quiet of the forest, it felt different. He couldn’t figure out why touching her here was more intimate than by the river, but it was. His heart beat off rhythm in his chest as it tried to figure out if it was nervous or excited as he finally grabbed her hand.

Shikamaru felt any remaining insecurities and doubts fall away with how easily she slipped her fingers in between his, that light pink teasing her cheeks. His heart steadied and he told her with a low voice, “Just focus on my hand.”

“Okay.” Sakura’s bottom lip twisted as she bit it, ducking her head as strands of pink framed her face.

Her grip on him loosened and she pulled her fingers back. The pad of her thumb stroked across the palm of his hand. Like a lot of shinobi, his hands were rough with callouses. Sakura’s fingers looked delicate as they almost danced across his skin, tracing every line of his hand. But Sakura hadn’t been delicate in a long time.

Her fingernails were chipped with dark red nail polish. Scars scatted across her own fingers; her skin much rougher than his. He could almost see the tan line of where her glove probably ended at her wrist; a stark contrast of her hands being paler than her arms where his was the opposite.

Shikamaru’s thoughts abandoned him as the nail of Sakura’s thumb ran along his heartline. His other hand reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. Sakura must’ve been very focused on his hand, because the movement startled her, and her hand stilled in his. His hand didn’t stray from her and moved to hold her face.

Sakura turned her head into his palm with a quiet voice. “Shikamaru?”

Shikamaru leaned towards her, gently bringing her closer to him. He was vaguely aware of Sakura’s other hand coming up to wrap around his wrist.

He was a breath away when his mind started to catch up with him. His heart felt like it was in his throat when he spoke, “Sakura, I – “

Sakura’s hand left his to grip at his shirt and she was barely audible when she interrupted him, “Just kiss me already, Shikamaru.”

A laugh bubbled in his chest but didn’t reach his throat and he closed the distance between them. He caught her lips with his and Sakura pressed against him, her hand leaving his shirt to go to the back of his head and bring him closer. Shikamaru smiled against her as a soft sound escaped her lips when he kissed her again.

Later when Sakura had basically crawled into his lap, he chuckled and kissed the corner of her mouth. “You know, you’re _really_ bad at meditation.”

Sakura laughed and met his eyes, that beautiful green warm as she looked at him. “It was just an excuse to get close to you, anyway.”


	10. Door Chime

Ino barely glanced up when the door opened, the chime of the hanging bells ringing throughout the shop. “Hey, Shikamaru, give me just a moment…”

Her eyes went back to the papers in front of her, black ink marking across numbers and orders that she had completed over the last week. She knew she’d curse herself later for how unintelligible her handwriting was, but she needed to get this done _today_ and – 

“I just came by to let you know you can stop.”

“Stop what?” Ino asked him distractedly, annoyed he couldn’t wait a _minute_.

“All your scheming.”

_Scheming?_ It clicked a second later and Ino’s pen paused in her hand, a drop of ink falling to the white paper. She looked up at him as he leaned against the counter on the other side, a small grin on his face.

Ino felt a smile growing on her face as she straightened up, the accounts in front of her now at the back of her mind. “I can?”

He nodded and Ino laughed, running around the counter to throw her arms around him. Shikamaru sighed but she knew his annoyance wasn’t real as he hugged her back.

She’d have to apologize later about ruining his clothes with the dirt that had been caked on her apron and forgotten. But for now, she was simply happy for him.


End file.
